MINISTRY
Embracing
Change
Rolling with the punches, and giving members space to make suggestions, try, and fail; Heartbeat’s ethos has the potential to become SJSM’s heartbeat — if we’re willing to take the risk.
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t’s a no-brainer that usage of technology was the big thing this period, with the first sharp plunge triggered by 2020’s Circuit Breaker. But nearly every ministry group in almost every church has been going online too, so what makes Heartbeat any different? OWNERSHIP TIED TO INITIATIVE “The novelty of virtual services and cell meetings waned along the way, especially since youth generally need to experience things hands on to be inspired, but it was very encouraging to see many of them starting to think of ways to engage one another online,” says youth pastor Allen Lim. “One of the things they started was regular weekday worship sessions that were streamed live on Instagram; another was group exercise/ workout sessions over Zoom. Not everyone participated in everything, but it was good to see them taking ownership and not leaving things to the leaders to implement.” Not surprisingly, a number of negative behaviours reared their heads: “There was a loss of the sense of the sacred, particularly during the period when services were prerecorded playbacks. Some of the youth were distracted, or displayed consumerist behaviour, seeing services as just another YouTube video to view on demand.” Understandably, there was some uncertainty about how the hastily restructured year-end camp would be received in its allnew hybrid format — sessions were conducted via Zoom, and campers met in small groups in one another’s homes. But Camp X blew expectations out of the water — albeit in an understated way. Post-camp, the committee unanimously agreed to continue the camp’s theme and focus on family relationships, and follow-up has been happening quarterly in small groups. Some cells are choosing to keep meeting in one another’s homes.
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EVERY YOUTH A STAKEHOLDER Allen feels that the past two years have shown that “those who struggle the most are those who are most resistant to change”. “Meaningful meetings can be conducted online. Fellowship can happen; community can form. We need to be willing to use whatever methods we can to come together, and be willing to let the youths try things on their terms.” COVID-19, he says, is an “exercise in challenging our assumptions”, and not just about the form that ministry takes. Even in terms of encouraging community involvement, it’s less about pointing them towards opportunities than it is about finding out the needs that resonate with their gifts and passions. For example, some of the youth who have shown preaching potential are being groomed for it. “We talk about discipleship, about engaging and supporting the youth — it’s not a top-down thing. It doesn’t work that way,” Allen says. “What they need is spiritual friendship from adults who will journey alongside them and give common sense advice where appropriate. The youth have great capacity and passion to serve; what they need is guidance, not restrictions.”
CampX being hosted in various homes meant that the youths got to know not only one another better, but also one another’s families; this also provided them with more time in safe and comfortable spaces.
